Key Takeaways
- Agility is essential: Organizations must cultivate agility to adapt to change and thrive.
- Communication is crucial: Building trust through clarity and candor can mitigate resistance to change.
- Bridge the skills gap: Address the growing disparity between human and digital skills to close readiness gaps.
- Leverage technology: Platforms like Cornerstone Galaxy and Immerse empower organizations to personalize learning and foster adaptability.
- Change Management requires strategy: Successful transformation hinges on assessing readiness, willingness, and acceptance while fostering open communication to build trust and align teams.
In a dynamic and ever-evolving business landscape, workforce agility has emerged as a cornerstone of organizational success. A recent webinar hosted by Cornerstone explored how HR leaders can leverage agility to future-proof their strategies and navigate readiness gaps, enhance processes, and drive organizational performance. Featuring insights from Steve Goldberg, an Industry Influencer and Advisor, and Mike Bollinger, VP of Strategic Initiatives at Cornerstone, the session delivered actionable strategies for transforming workforces and optimizing operations through agility.
Steve Goldberg introduced the “Ascension Test,” a framework designed to help organizations elevate their performance within their industry. He outlined three pathways to ascension:
- Elevating Organizational Agility: Developing the ability to swiftly adapt to market changes.
- Enhancing Employee Brand Attractiveness: Building a reputation that attracts top talent.
- Improving Employee Productivity: Empowering teams with the tools and skills to thrive.
Goldberg emphasized the criticality of these pathways in today’s unpredictable operating environment, noting, “In a competitive world, ascension is about moving the needle and dialing up in the ranks within your industry vertical.”
Lessons from Transformation Success and Failure Drawing on historical examples, Goldberg contrasted companies that struggled to adapt with those that thrived by embracing agility and innovation. He highlighted the importance of knowing when to pivot and sustaining momentum, underscoring the role of generative AI in guiding decision-making. “Executing a pivot well includes sustaining the momentum,” Goldberg remarked.
Change management emerged as a key theme, with Goldberg addressing the normalcy of resistance to transformation. He introduced a readiness assessment model focused on three pillars:
- Readiness: Being prepared for change with the appropriate mindset, skills, and approach.
- Willingness: Recognizing that change brings both challenges and opportunities and still genuinely supporting it.
- Acceptance: Embracing the change and specifically one’s role in the context of a transformation.
Goldberg also emphasized the importance of clear and candid communication in building trust, presenting a model categorizing individuals as allies or opponents based on their alignment with organizational vision and trust levels.
Workforce Agility and Skills Imbalance Mike Bollinger highlighted the growing gap between the demand for human skills and digital skills. He noted that while Gen Z prioritizes digital skills, the need for human skills outpaces digital skills by a ratio of 2:1. This imbalance contributes to a widening workforce readiness gap, which he attributed to visibility, expectations, and skill mismatches.
Bollinger stated, “The demand for human skills outpaces digital skills 2 to 3 times over,” reinforcing the need for HR strategies that address this disparity.
Mike took over to explore how Cornerstone’s AI-powered platforms—Cornerstone Galaxy and Cornerstone Immerse—are enhancing workforce development and agility. He discussed how these tools have helped companies increase employee engagement, reduce capability gaps, and improve career options, showcasing their potential to address key workforce challenges.
As business landscapes evolve, agility has become essential for staying competitive. The session emphasized that embracing adaptability, fostering clear communication, and integrating innovative technologies can help organizations build resilient, future-ready workforces.
Mike also highlighted how Cornerstone’s platforms personalize learning by analyzing user behavior and making real-time adjustments, allowing organizations to align learning strategies with their evolving needs.
With Cornerstone Galaxy, companies are closing skill gaps, improving career progression, and achieving cost savings—while also increasing engagement and reducing recruitment expenses.
Success today requires agility, open communication, and addressing the growing human-digital skills gap. By doing so, organizations can create adaptive teams ready for the future and long-term success.
At Cornerstone, we’re committed to helping organizations build a workforce that thrives amid constant transformation. Ready to take the next step? Discover how Cornerstone Galaxy can empower your organization to unlock workforce agility and drive transformative results. Learn more.
